Motorola Moto G Power (2021)

The new family of Motorola phones for 2021 target the affordable end of the smartphone market. Each one fits a different phone user type. So where does the Motorola Moto G Power sit in the line-up? Let’s find out.

Design

The build quality of the Moto G Power is undisputed by reviewers. They all felt it was superior to most similarly priced phones in 2021. Motorola swapped the glossy (and slippery) rear plastic shell for a matte finish option with a subtle pattern that just makes the phone feel nice. It’s comfortable to hold with an unobtrusive camera bump, you can’t ask for much more.

Display

Unfortunately, what the phone offers in design and refinement, it lacks in display quality. Reviewers stated that the lower resolution 720p panel used on the phone capsized the excellent feeling of the build. The phone features a weaker display than many of its siblings with reduced contrast and washed out colors.

Performance

Performance reviews were mixed. Some reviewers felt the phone performed adequately for its price range while others thought it was sluggish and moved at a snail’s pace. Some blamed the older software. Some blamed it on an ageing processor. It was a fairly equal draw between reviewers, so you probably don’t want to consider this phone for heavy use or if you plan to play the latest games. For the light users and daily tasks, it has the chops to keep things moving well enough.

Software & Storage

Motorola disappointed reviewers with only one guaranteed upgrade to the phone’s software. Paired with smaller storage allotments (32 and 64GB) many reviewers question how well the phone will age. However, there is the option to add up to 512GB with the use of a MicroSD card.

Cameras

The 48MP primary lens sounded great on paper to reviewers. Unfortunately, many felt the phone doesn’t going to keep up on photography benchmarks. Muddy colors, a softness that wasn’t appealing, and low-light photography issues were common complaints. The camera could capture a good photo once in a while, but it wasn’t consistent enough to impress reviewers.

Battery Life

As you might guess from the name, battery life is where the Moto G Power (2021) shines. Motorola promises multi-day battery life and reviewers found this to be true across the board. Some reported up to three days of moderate use on a single charge!

Audio

As with most budget-conscious smartphones these days, the phone’s single speaker isn’t stellar. However, the phone’s headphone jack makes it easy to pop on your favorite cans and get lost in your games, movies, or music.

Specs at a Glance

• Matte plastic chassis
• 6.6-inch display
• Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 processor
• 3 or 4GB of RAM
• Android 10
• 32 or 64GB of storage with MicroSD card support
• 48MP primary lens with a 2MP macro lens and 2MP depth sensor, 8MP selfie lens cameras
• 5,000mAh battery

Bottom Line

The Motorola Moto G family of phones combine affordable prices with phones tailored to a specific kind of phone user. The Moto G Power is all about the battery life. If photography or screen quality are essential to you, this phone is hard to beat. However, if you want to play games, enjoy movies, or capture life’s little moments with the help of your phone, there’s a good chance the phone will fall short of your expectations.

Tom’s Guide says, “Since it’s impossible for a phone that costs [less] to be all things to all people, the key is to find a feature or two that truly matters to people and absolutely nail it. In the case of the Moto G Power, that feature is battery life.”

The Verge states, “The Motorola Moto G Power is a [low-priced] phone that does exactly what it claims — powers you through multiple days of use — but don’t expect any other bells or whistles.”